Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Wednesday condemned Ukraine for failing to live up to its peace bargain and warned the politically torrid country not to take military action against Russian separatists — all before pausing to smile for his first selfie.
Me: ‘Let’s make a selfie?’ Mr. Lavrov: ‘What’s that? Oh, that’s like Obama and the Danish PM?’ pic.twitter.com/xt7gtctODO
— SophieCo (@SophieCo_RT) April 23, 2014
During an interview with Russia Today’s Sophie Shevardnadze, Lavrov told the reporter, “If our interests, our legitimate interests, the interests of Russians have been attacked directly, like they were in South Ossetia for example, I do not see any other way but to respond in accordance with international law,” The Wall Street Journal reports. “Russian citizens being attacked is an attack against the Russian Federation.”
The statement comes one day after Vice President Joe Biden visited Kiev and Ukrainian interim President Oleksandr Turchynov said anti-terrorist operations against armed, pro-Russian separatists would recommence in areas taken over by the rebels.
The conclusion of the threatening interview featured a much lighter moment.
“It’s definitely his first selfie,” Shevardnadze said. “Because when I said, ‘Mr. Lavrov come on let’s do a selfie,’ he said, ‘What’s a selfie?'” the reporter said of the interview with “one her her favorite Russian officials.”
“I was like oh, come on, you don’t know what a selfie is?!” Shevardnadze told RT after the interview. “Everyone from [the] Oscars to [the] White House is posting selfies!”
“Oh, that’s what Obama did with the Dutch prime minister?” Lavrov reportedly asked as he leaned into the frame with the reporter and smiled.
“He looked like he was having fun,” Shevardnadze said.